Wall supported container lid clamp



Feb. 28, 1950 F. J. NIBLETT WALL SUPPORTED CONTAINER LID CLAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 10, 1948 Feb. 28, 1950 I F. J. NIBLETf 2,499,032

WALL SUPPORTED CONTAINER LID CLAMP Filed April 10, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //v VEN TOR Frank J jfiblei i ATTYS Patented Feb. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICE 2,499,032 WALL SUPPORTED CONTAINER LID CLAMP Frankll. Niblett, r'livacjg fialif. Application Ap'ril10, 1948, Serial No. 20,185

(o1..s1 3.a)

2 Claims.

This invention relates to jar openers and more particularly to a device for holding screw lids to facilitate theopening or unscrewing of lids from the containers.

In'attempting to remove a screw lid or cover from a container it is often impossiblet'o' remove thelid using only ones hands to grasp the 'container and lid because of the "slipping between the hands and'said container and lid.

There have been numerousdevices in the past 11 to hold the lid or cover of containers while being loosened but they have :not fully solved the problem. of effectively holding :such lids, nor have they been easilyadjustable .to accommodate the various sizes of lids in which food or other products are packed.

The primary purpose of the-present invention, therefore, is to provide a device for conveniently and-easily holding the-screw lid of any container, such .as'a'bottle, can or jar, ifor loosening lid from the container.

Another object-f the invention is to provide means to eiTect quick and simple adjustmentof the jaws :of the device to accommodate different sizes of lids.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for moving and holding the clamping jaw in itsclamped position.

Another object is to provide for the proper angular location of one of the clamping jaws for its proper contact with the circular edge of the lids of various sizes.

A further object of the invention is to produce a practical device and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a screw lid holder or clamp made in accordance with the construction of my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the screw lid holder with the supporting wall in vertical section; the device being adjusted to hold a relatively small lid.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but with the holder adjusted to accommodate a larger screw lid.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the holder with the supporting wall in horizontal section. 2

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the lid such 2 clamp is supported on a bracket l having screw openings2 with screws 3 extending therethrough into a wall 4. The bracket I has :a horizontal portion 5 having a pivot pin 6 secured thereto and extending 'vertical-ly'therefrom.

The lid clamp .has a vertically positioned mounting plate I which is bent to the form of azvertical cylindricaleyecll-that; whentin assembled position, is locatedaround the pin 6, supporting themounting plateoutwardly horizontally therefrom. Means are :PTOVidGdLfOI preventing rotation of the mounting plate I on the pivot pin 6, .which includes a ;pin 9 attached \to and extending radially outwardly from the pin 6 and theveye-8 is provided with a notch l0 extending upwardly from the lower end thereof. The mounting plate may beswung aroundthe pin ,6; by .zlifting the mounting plate vertically until :the notch l0 is free from the pin-.9 and thereafter rotating the .plate.

.Adjustably mounted on the mounting .plate is a relatively stationary jaw H having a concave serrated, engaging surface l2 and a rearwardly extending :ear l3 on which it is pivotally mounted at 14 to .an arcuately shaped jaw mounting bar l5. Thisbar has an arcuate slot l6 :and: .a .pair of pins 11, secured to the mounting plate 1:7, extending therethrough for guided arcuata1movement to the bar 15. Means are provided .for adjustably holding .the bar :15 in any desired position for adjusting the jaw H to accommodate the holding of various sizes of screw lids. This adjusting means includes serrations I 8 formed along the rear edge of the bar l5 and a ratchet dog 19 pivotally mounted at 20 on the mounting plate 1 adjacent the ser- I rations [8 on the bar IS. A pin 2! extends from the mounting plate and is engaged by the dog [9, limiting its inward pivotal movement. The dog l9 has an integral operating finger 22 whereby the dog may be released manually from engagement with the serrations I8 on the bar l5. A wire spring 23 is welded or otherwise secured to one side of the eye 8, the free sprung end thereof engaging the finger portion 22 of the ratchet dog I9 thereby yieldably holding the dog in engagement with the serrations l8. By releasing operation of the finger 22, the bar 55 and the stationary jaw Il may be adjusted to accommodate the holding of various sizes of screw lids.

A movable clamping jaw 24, having a concave serrated lid engaging surface 25 is pivotally mounted at 26 on the mounting plate 1 and coacts with the adjustable stationary jaw I l to hold 3 a screw lid to facilitate the tightening or the loosening thereof on a container. Means are provided for forcibly moving the movable jaw toward the stationary jaw and includes a roller 21, rotably mounted at 28, on the inner end of a manually operable clamping arm 29 pivotally mounted at 30 to the mounting plate. The pivot pin 28 is a short radial distance from the pivot pin 30 whereby the roller 27 has an eccentric movement around the pivot 30 and b pivotal movement of the arm 29 the roller 2'! forcibly moves the movable jaw toward the stationary jaw II. A wire spring 31 is secured at 32 to the mounting plate I closely adjacent the movable jaw 25 with its free sprung end engaging the jaw thereby yieldably holding the jaw against the roller 21.

Operation The lid clamp is attached to a wall 4, as shown, with the notch l0 engaging the pin 9 holding the opener in extended operative position on the bracket I. By movement of the finger 22, the dog I9 is moved to released position from the ratchet teeth [8 on the bar 15. The adjustable stationary jaw II is moved to the proper adjusted position to hold the size of lid desired to be held for tightening or loosening on a container. The lid is located against the stationary jaw l I and the movable jaw 24 is moved forcibly against the opposite side of the lid by manual pivotal movement of the operating arm 29, eccentrically moving the roller against the jaw 24. The lid is thus held so that the container desired to be screwed thereon or therefrom may be readily grasped as the lid is held from slipping while the container is rotated. The loosening of the lid on the container is thus facilitated or aided by the positive holding of the lid during the operation. By releasing the ratchet dog 19 from the ratchet teeth on the arcuate bar 15, the distance of the stationary jaw from the movable jaw may be regulated to receive and hold various sizes of lids.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

1. A container lid holding device comprising a mounting plate, a jaw supporting bar, means mounting the bar on the plate for arcuate sliding movement, ratchet teeth on one edge of the bar, a rachet dog pivotally mounted on the plate, means yieldably holding the dog in engagement with the ratchet teeth, a concave jaw pivotally mounted on one end of the bar, a second jaw mounted on the plate for movement toward and away from the first jaw, and means mounted on the plate and operable to move the second law.

2. A container lid holding device comprising a mounting plate, a jaw supporting bar provided with an arcuate slot, spaced apart pins projecting through the slot and secured in the plate, the bar being slidable over the pins, means on the plate acting on the bar to yieldably hold the same against such sliding movement, a concave jaw pivotally mounted on one end of the bar, a second jaw mounted on the plate for movement toward or away from the first jaw, and means mounted on the plate and operable to move the second jaw.

, FRANK J NIBLETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 805,792 Hadden Nov. 28, 1905 894,626 Givens July 28, 1908 897,641 Moses Sept. 1, 1908 936,927 McCallum Oct. 12, 1909 998,014 Kingsley July 18, 1911 1,435,110 Efford Nov. 7, 1922 1,806,828 Servaas May 26, 1931 2,062,976 Brin Dec. 1, 1936 2,448,815 Mattocks Sept. 7, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 181,296 Great Britain June 15, 1922 

